Electron spin resonance and theoretical studies of the PO2 and AsO2 radicals in neon matrices at 4 K: Laser vaporization and x-irradiation radical generation techniques

The utilization of high energy generation techniques for trapping ion radicals and other reactive intermediates in neon matrices at 4 K is discussed. Electron spin resonance (ESR) results for several small radicals are presented to demonstrate the application of x irradiation and reactive laser vaporization for neon matrix isolation studies. Detailed ESR studies of the PO2 and AsO2 radicals, along with ab initio theoretical computations of their nuclear hyperfine interactions, are presented. No previous ESR observations have been reported for these radicals, although PO2 has been studied under high resolution in the gas phase utilizing far-infrared laser magnetic resonance and microwave spectroscopies.